'Dogs Jeffers Breaks Records, Leads UMD

By
KBJR News 1

May 8, 2013Updated May 15, 2013 at 4:48 PM CST

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Listed at just five foot four inches, University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) senior Kierra Jeffers broke several records this season for the Bulldogs including the single season home run mark.

“I guess 14 home runs seemed so far away at the beginning of the season, but then once I kind of got to 8 and 9, I thought it could work.”

Head coach Jen Banford said she wasn't surprised when Jeffers broke it.

“I think that she’s done everything she can to this point to get to the record. I think it’s a big record to break,” said Banford.

By the end of the season, she had also set team records in runs batted in and total bases. Jeffers said it’s her Dad that gave her her first ball and glove.

“He always coached me, and so it seemed like he knew as lot about baseball, but he only played a couple of years in little league. He just seemed to always love the sport and that was a connection that we had.”

While it’s Jeffers Dad that got her into softball, she says it’s her teammates that keep her coming back.

“Softball season was always the one I looked forward to and the girls that I played with, we just got along really well,” said Jeffers.

It’s a season that Jeffers saw come to a close over the weekend. But she has one piece of advice for younger hitters.

“Zone in on her hip and watch the ball.”

And do like Jeffers does.

“All I think is watch it from her hip, and then I don’t think of anything else.”

All her Dad is thinking about is what he’s going to be doing now that Jeffers career as a Bulldog is over.

“I think he’s going to be a little bummed," Jeffers said. "I don’t know what he’s going to do with his time. We’ve joked about getting a dog.”